On June 26, it was reported former 20 year veteran  APD Cop Daniel Carr and who was a lateral transfer and worked  for the City of Durango Police Department became the 16th  former APD officer to be listed on the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office ‘Giglio list‘.  The list consists  of officers whose credibility can be challenged in court and whose testimony is not to be trusted. Carr was added to the list on June 23 as part of the ongoing federal investigation into the DWI corruption scheme, where officers were working with prominent  criminal  defense attorney Thomas Clear, III and his investigator Ricardo “Rick” Mendez  taking bribes  to get DWI cases dismissed in court.

“Carr was the subject of a KRQE News 13 investigation in 2014 when court records show a woman who worked at a downtown strip club claimed Carr was harassing her. Records show at the time, she claimed Carr followed her boyfriend, pulled him over, and charged him with DWI.

After he was arrested, the woman says Officer Carr began calling and texting her, asking her on dates, and offering to follow her home from work in case she’d been drinking. According to court records, she says she went along with it for a while because he hinted that if he were to not show up for court for her boyfriend’s case, it would get dismissed.

Carr started working for APD in 2005. KRQE Investigates obtained his police file, showing 23 misconduct reports over the years. Some of them were for missed court. Consequences include a letter of reprimand or ‘policy refresher.’

Carr filed paperwork for retirement from APD early last year after the FBI raided former defense attorney Thomas Clear III’s office and the homes of other officers. Since then, Clear has pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy and admitted to working with officers to get DWI cases dismissed in exchange for cash. At least eight former officers have also admitted guilt in the scheme.”

In a May Facebook post, Carr announced  he was lateral hire for Durango Police Department. The Durango Police Department  announced his hiring last month on Facebook with a post saying, “Carr’s the Name, Patrolling’s the game!” The post excitedly announced him as a lateral hire, and went on to state, “He’s got experience, he’s one of the best, and he’s officially ours!”

KRQE Investigates called the  Durango Police Department, who said they were just informed Carr was connected to the Giglio List in New Mexico, and they were  investigating. A Deputy Chief with Durango PD told KRQE that as of late Tuesday, Carr was being placed on administrative leave with pay as they conducted an internal investigation.”

The link to the quoted or relied upon new source is here:

https://www.krqe.com/news/investigations/former-apd-officer-tied-to-dwi-scandal-now-working-in-durango/

On Wednesday, June 25, the Durango Police Department announced Carr had resigned and issued the following statement:

On Monday evening, June 23, 2025, Command Staff with the Durango Police Department was notified that a Durango Police Department officer was placed on the Brady-Giglio list that same day, by the 2nd Judicial District for the State of New Mexico. Officer Daniel Carr has resigned from his position as a patrol officer with our department, which was accepted and effective immediately. This decision follows recent developments in a case originating more than a decade ago, involving a separate agency and individuals within that agency.

Upon being notified of the matter, our department immediately launched an internal administrative investigation in accordance with our established protocols. After a review of the circumstances and procedural requirements, it was determined that it was in the best interest of our community and the department to place Officer Carr on administrative leave with pay. It is important to note that Officer Daniel Carr has not been charged with a crime in connection to the matter raised in New Mexico’s 2nd Judicial District. As with any person, we respect and uphold the integrity of the judicial process, and we remain committed to ensuring fairness, due process, and accountability throughout.

Officer Daniel Carr joined our department in November 2024, following a rigorous and thorough background investigation following his retirement from Albuquerque Police Department. During his time with us, he successfully completed our Field Training Program in May of 2025, He was trusted to uphold the high standards of professionalism, character, and accountability – values that we expect from every member of our department. He resigned on June 25, 2025.

Our officers earn their place in this department through character and conduct. Every badge in this building is worn by someone who shows up, does the right thing, and asks for nothing more than the chance to serve. One investigation does not erase that truth—our decisive response proves we defend the honor of the many by confronting the missteps of the few. When something surfaces that calls that into question, we will act to protect the culture of trust and service that defines who we are. Our Durango community deserves a department that does not flinch in the face of complexity, and our officers deserve to work in an environment where values are more than words—they’re enforced. That’s the standard we hold, and the standard we’ll keep.

Information or questions on our internal investigation standards and hiring processes are available on our website: https://bit.ly/4laoBiQ

Carr has not been charged with any crime.

The links to the quoted or relied upon news sources are here:

https://www.krqe.com/news/investigations/former-apd-officer-tied-to-dwi-scandal-now-working-in-durango/

https://www.krqe.com/news/crime/albuquerque-police-department-dwi-investigation/former-apd-officer-tied-to-dwi-scandal-resigns-from-durango-police-department/

DWI CORRUPTION AND BRIBERY SCORE CARD

A total of twenty  (20) law enforcement officers have resigned, retired, been terminated, federally charged or plead guilty  since the FBI executed five searches in January 2024, The search warrants were issue at three APD  officers’ residences, the home of a private investigator, and the law office of prominent DWI attorney Thomas Clear III.  Sixteen former APD Officers, three  Bernalillo County Sherriff Officers and one New Mexico State Police Sergeant have been implicated in the corruption, bribery and racketeering enterprise. Following is the score card:

SEVEN APD COPS AND ONE BERNALILLO COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF PLEAD GUILTY AS CHARGED

Seven APD officers and one Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office Deputy have  plead guilty to federal charges of  taking bribes and they are:

1. On February 7, 2025 former APD Officer Honorio Alba plead guilty to racketeering, bribery, extortion and conspiracy.(Article link: Took a plea deal on February 7, 2025.)
2. On February 7, 2025 former APD Officer Joshua Montaño plead guilty as charge to  racketeering, bribery, extortion and conspiracy.(Article link: Took a plea deal on February 7, 2025.)
3. On February 12, 2025 former APD Officer Neill Elsman plead guilty as charged  to 5  counts of  conspiracy, extortion, and bribery.  ( February 12, 2025.)
4. On March 24, 2025 former APD officer Nelson Ortiz admitted to his role in the DWI Enterprise bribery scandal and pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Interference With Commerce By Extortion Under Color of Official Right. He faces 20 years in prison.
5. On April 29, 2025 former APD Police Officer Harvey Johnsonplead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit “Interference With Commerce By Extortion Under Color Of Official Right”. He is facing 20 years in jail.
6. On May 27, 2025 former APD Officer Lucas Perez pleaded guilty to “conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by extortion under color of official right.” It was on March 24, 2024 that APD announced it  has  placed Lucas Perez  on leave as a part of its internal investigation into its DWI unit and the federal investigation. Perez has been with the department since 2016 and served in the DWI unit to become the unit sergeant.
7. On June 23, 2025 former APD officer Louis Henckel pleaded guilty in federal court, admitting to his role in the conspiracy with criminal defense attorney Thomas Clear and his paralegal Ricardo Mendez to accept bribes to get DWI cases dismissed. Henckel plead guilty to one count of “conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by extortion under color of official right.”The maximum penalty is up to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000.
8. On February 25, 2025,  BCSO Deputy Jeff Hammerel resigned from BCSO and  plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit extortion, two counts of extortion and two counts of bribery. (Took a plea deal on February 25, 2025.)

TWENTY  LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS FROM 3 AGENCIES IMPLICATED

A total of twenty (20) law enforcement officers have resigned, retired, been terminated or federally charged or indicted since the FBI executed five searches in January 2024 at three APD  officers’ residences, the home of a private investigator, and the law office of prominent DWI attorney Thomas Clear III. Sixteen APD Officers, three  Bernalillo County Sherriff Officers and one New Mexico State Police Sergeant thus far have been implicated in the bribery racketeering enterprise.

16 APD OFFICERS IMPLICATED, CHARGED OR PLEAD GUILTY

During the past year, a total of 16 APD Police officers have been implicated in the largest corruption scandal in APD’s history. APD Commander Kyle Hartsock is overseeing the Internal Affairs  investigations. One by one, the accused APD officers have been turning in their badges and resigning or retiring  rather than talking to Internal Affairs investigators about an alleged public corruption scheme involving DWI cases. The names and dates of the 16 officers who have resigned, placed on leave, who have been terminated, retired, charged or plead guilty are:

1. On February 7, 2024 Justin Hunt, who started at APD in 2000, resigned.
2. On February 29, 2024, Honorio Alba, who started at APD in 2014, resigned. On February 7, 2025 he plead guilty to racketeering, bribery, extortion and conspiracy.(Article link: Took a plea deal on February 7, 2025.)
3. On March 13, 2024, Harvey Johnson, who started at APD in 2014, resigned.
4. On March 15, 2024, Nelson Ortiz, who started at APD in 2016, resigned. On March 24, Nelson Ortiz  admitted to his role in the DWI Enterprise bribery scandal and  plead guilty in federal court to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Interference With Commerce By Extortion Under Color of Official Right. He faces 20 years in prison.
5. On March 20, 2024 Joshua Montaño, who started at APD January 2005, resigned. On Friday, February 8, Montaño plead guilty as charge to  racketeering, bribery, extortion and conspiracy. (Article link: Took a plea deal on February 7, 2025.)
6. On May 2, 2024 Daren DeAguero, who started with APD in 2009, resigned.
7. On May 9, 2024, Matthew Trahan was placed on paid leave as the investigation played out. Trahan has been with APD since 2006, was with the DWI unit from 2014-16 and recently worked as a detective.
8. On July 30, 2024 APD Officer Neill Elsman, who had worked in the DWI unit within the past several years, resigned before returning to work from military leave. On February 12, 2025 Elsman plead guilty as charged  to 5  counts of  conspiracy, extortion, and bribery. (Article: February 12, 2025.)
9. On August 1, APD announced that it fired Mark Landavazo, the APD Commander of Internal Affairs for Professional Standards, who started with APD in  2007 and was with the DWI unit from 2008 through 2013.
10. October 16, 2024 Deputy Commander Gustavo Gomez placed on paid administrative leave. Gomez was with the DWI unit from 2010 to 2013.
11. On January 24, 2025 APD announced they placed officers Matthew Chavez on leave.
12. On February 28, Kyle Curtis announced his retirement after he was placed on leave on February 24 amid being targeted in the Internal investigation involving DWI arrests.
13. In 2022, Timothy McCarson retired from the Albuquerque Police Department  and he has been implicated in the DWI scandal. The last week of January, 2025,  the FBI asked that he be added to the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office‘s Giglio list, which classifies potential court testimony as unreliable.
14. On May 12, former APD officer Steve Hindiwas placed on the Giglio list of officers whose credibility is compromised after being implicated in the scandal.
15. On May 27,2025 Lucas Perez plead guilty to conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by extortion under color of official right. On March 24, 2024the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) announce it  has  placed Lucas Perez on leave as a part of its internal investigation into its DWI unit and the federal investigation. Perez has been with the department since 2016 and served in the DWI unit to become the unit sergeant.
16. On June 26, 2025 it was reported that former APD Officer Daniel Carr who served with APD for nearly 20 years and who then became a lateral hire and went to work for the Durango Police Department, became the 16th former APD officer to join the ranks of officers listed on the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office ‘Giglio list‘ of officers who are no longer trusted witnesses in court. He was implicated in the DWI bribery and conspiracy case to dismiss cases. Carr immediately resigned from the Durango Police Department after the Department was notified of the action. Carr has not been charged with a crime.

THREE BERNALILLO COUNTY SHERRIFF DEPUTIES IMPLICATED

The names and dates of the 3 BCSO  officers who have resigned or placed on leave by Sherriff John Allen or who have plead guilty to charges are:

1. On February 25, 2025  BCSO Deputy Jeff Hammerel resigned from BCSO and  plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit extortion, two counts of extortion and two counts of bribery.
2. On February 24, 2025, BCSO Undersheriff Johann Jareno was asked to resign by  Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen.
3. March 7^th, Deputy Jeffry Bartram was placed on leave on after early findings that he may have been involved in the scheme. He has been with BCSO since February 2010 and was on the BCSO DWI Unit from July 2014 to August 2020.

ONE MEXICO STATE POLICE OFFICER

On February 14, 2025 the New Mexico State Police announced it placed Sgt. Toby LaFave on administrative leave after he was implicated by the FBI as accepting bribes in the DWI Enterprise to dismiss cases.  Sgt. Toby LaFave is on paid leave as the agency does its own internal investigation into allegations. LaFave was featured for years in state ENDWI campaigns and was referred to as the DWI King.

LaFave, who joined State Police in 2012, said in an online public service promotion video that he has made 3,000 arrests during his 20 years in law enforcement. Court records show LaFave has filed at least 1,300 felony and misdemeanor DWI cases from 2009 to February, 2025. Of the 31 DWI cases where LaFave was the arresting officer and Clear was the defense attorney, 17, or 57%, were dismissed by the courts.

The link to a quoted or relied upon news source is here:

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/article_97483524-eb17-11ef-9c15-8320a7b16191.htm/

TWO RING LEADERS PLEAD GUILTY AS CHARGED

Former DWI Criminal defense attorney Thomas Clear III and his investigator Ricardo “Rick” Mendez have  plead guilty as charged to paying bribes to law enforcement to get their client’s DWI cases get dismissed.

On January 24, Ricardo “Rick” Mendez, 53, the investigator for attorney Thomas Clear III, plead guilty to all the charges contained in the criminal Information including racketeering, bribery of an agent receiving federal funds, aiding and abetting, interference with commerce by extortion under color of official right and to conspiracy. Mendez is facing 110 years in prison on the charges. On April 29  Ricardo “Rick” Mendez was scheduled to be sentenced connection with the DWI scandal. In a surprise move on the day of his sentencing it was simply vacated by the federal court. The  likely reason for the delay is that Mendez is likely providing new information about the DWI scandal and identifying more suspects to be charge.

On February 12, DWI defense attorney Thomas Clear III, 67 plead guilty as charged to nine federal charges including racketeering (RICO) conspiracy, bribery, and extortion. Clear faces up to 130 years in prison and $2 million in fines. Clear admits in his Plea Agreement that for nearly 30 years he led a criminal racketeering enterprise that paid off generations of law enforcement officers to get his clients’ DWI cases thrown out. Clear admits to running the “DWI Enterprise” since at least 1995. The DWI Enterprise scheme was run out of Clear’s law office.

According to Clear’s plea agreement, prior to 2022, Clear and his investigator Ricardo “Rick” Mendez would arrange for officers to intentionally fail to appear at required pretrial interviews involving DWI offenders the officers arrested. Clear would file motions to dismiss the proceedings, claiming the officers were necessary witnesses who didn’t show up as required. The courts would dismiss the cases as a sanction against the prosecution.  Clear has been permanently disbarred from the practice of law by the New Mexico Supreme Court and the Federal Court and a forfeiture action against a home Clear used as his offices has been taken as an asset and as part of the racketeering charge

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

There is absolutely no doubt that APD’s reputation has been trashed to a major extent because of this scandal. APD is viewed by many as again having just another bastion of “dirty and corrupt cops” who have brought dishonor to their department and their badge and to the department’s professed values of “Pride, Integrity, Fairness and Respect”.  There is little doubt that this whole DWI dismissal bribery scandal has shaken the public’s faith in our criminal justice system and APD to its core especially with the involvement of the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office BCSO and New Mexico State Police Officers.

The only way that any semblance of faith can be restored and for people to begin trusting APD and law enforcement in general again is if all the police officers involved in this scandal are held accountable and the lawyers involved are held accountable. That will only happen with aggressive prosecutions, convictions, and lengthy prison sentences for the law enforcement officers and attorneys involved in the “DWI Enterprise” scheme. Justice will not be served until all are charged and sentenced.